Project Manager - Estates and Facilities

Salary: Grade 8, £44,414 - £52,805

Contract Type: Permanent, Open Ended.

Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and leading-edge, relevant research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for innovation, business and industry.

Heriot-Watt University has five campuses: three in the UK (Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Orkney), one in Dubai and one in Malaysia. The University offers a highly distinctive range of degree programmes in the specialist areas of science, engineering, design, business and languages. Heriot-Watt is also Scotland's most international university, boasting the largest international student cohort.

About our Team

Estates Services has responsibility for the management and administration of the total University Estate embracing the capital development function, maintenance function, and physical planning operation and support services.

The University Estate principally comprises a campus site positioned within green belt to the West of Edinburgh. It totals 154 hectares with some 100 buildings providing a developed floor space of circa 158,000m², together with grounds, roads, car parks, HV Electrical network, high pressure gas network, mains water distribution and pumping system and drainage. There are also other Scottish Campuses based at Galashiels which is co-located with Borders College of circa 8,900 m² floor space and in Orkney of circa 2,800 m² floor space. The University also has Campuses located in Dubai and Malaysia.

Capital Projects carries responsibility for the procurement of estate planning, new buildings plus alterations/extensions, and the management of the strategic growth plans of the University. Specific Services include-

• Provision of capital project advice to our clients: senior management, schools, student & campus services providers
• Delivery of full professional project management services to our clients projects
• Prioritisation of early stage input to projects including inception process, feasibility, options appraisal, business case and way-forward strategies
• Ensuring project integrity by enabling accurate cost and programme assessments
• Assisting clients in presentation of project proposals to senior management and guiding through University approval processes

Detailed Description

Reporting to the Head of Projects, you will lead and manage from inception to completion, or to appropriate stages, specific projects selected from the various work programmes approved for development and/or implementation by the University.

You shall ensure that projects are developed and managed within University and Scottish Funding Council Guidelines and that appropriate projects are implemented to achieve the users' aims and objectives within agreed constraints of time, quality and cost this will also include the appointment and management of on-site contractors.

You will also be responsible for providing advice to a variety of staff across the University campuses on Estate planning and project matters and assist with a range of factoring duties.

Provide professional and technical advice on all allocated construction project matters for the Estates team and provide similar assistance to other University stakeholders. Also provide professional and technical contributions to the Estates strategic plans and development programmes as required.

Capital Projects has an annual programme of approximately 15 - 30 projects at various stages at any one time with several strategic projects in the current pipeline with order of cost of £15-£30M. dependent upon strategic business developments and funding availability.

Job Purpose

• To work as part of the Capital Projects Professional Team to provide an efficient and effective Estate projects delivery service to the University.
• To carry professional and technical responsibility, within the multi-disciplined Team, for all aspects of the efficient and effective delivery of major and minor construction projects as funded by the University/external funding bodies..
• To take ownership of and manage a wide range of major and minor construction projects on behalf of the University from feasibility to occupation or appropriate stage. For each project ensure that University, School and Professional Services Section objectives are met and ensure each project is completed within agreed constraints of quality, cost and time. Contribute to the preparation and updating of the Estates strategic plans and development programmes as required in relation to forward capital cost projections plans.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• The role holder will ensure that the University's interests and project objectives are being achieved through the application of sound project management through all stages from inception to completion/handover.
• You will act as Project Manager on delegated projects leading the client management team to facilitate the preparation of feasibility studies and appraisals working with client user groups. Develop project briefs and, through the application of sound professional practice, implement projects within agreed constraints of time quality and cost to a high level of user satisfaction.
• You will establish and lead the project team comprising of external consultants, client department representatives, Estates Services and other support group colleagues ensuring that aims and objectives are delivered within agreed parameters, legislation and procedures. Ensure the project brief is translated accurately, developed and delivered by the design. Ensure that sustainability targets, whole life costs, ease of maintenance issues are all fully considered and addressed within the development of the project and ensure that furniture, equipment, IT, commissioning and occupation requirements are implemented
• Set up, lead and co-ordinate each project's communications between the user clients, external consultants and internal service providers. Ensure lines of communication are understood and that all necessary consultations take place at the appropriate stage. Ensure that regular reports are available on all aspects of the project including cost control and that furniture and equipment requirements commissioning and transfer arrangements are considered, planned and implemented as required.
• Ensure each project is executed within the guidelines required by the University and industry established Project Management Codes of Practice and ensure that all appropriate records pertaining to each project are managed and filed. .
• Assess and advise on potential project's viability for senior management approval. Prepare reports and papers for committees or funding bids and fundraising as required. Prepare Agendas for and take Minutes of Strategic Project Board Meetings. Once ascertained establish and manage each projects costs for its life time, ensuring that appropriate risk management and quality control procedures are adopted to minimise risk and maximise value.
• Manage the procurement of external consultants and main contractors within the boundaries set by European procurement legislation in conjunction with the University's Procurement Section.
• Facilitate seamless handover of completed projects to clients and ensure that formal presentation of facilities and engineering services takes place to in-house maintenance managers and trades personnel.
• Assist with monitoring and updating lists of consultants and contractors employed by the University including performance appraisal to ensure that they are satisfying the University requirements.
• Establish, maintain and improve relations with client groups and undertake client liaison activities to ensure through proper communication, consultation and planning that appropriate projects are developed and delivered to meet the needs of building users.
• Ensure that new building developments are handed over to the University, as the Client, to the required standards and with the appropriate documentation and certificates.
• Develop sound working relations with others within the University and Estates Services to ensure that appropriate multi disciplinary services can be provided and contribute to the ongoing development of an integrated Estates Service.
• With the Head of Projects and other Estates Managers ensure that all policies, systems, procedures and guidelines are in place to comply with all legislative and regulatory requirements related to estate development work
• The post holder will be required to participate in the university's management out of hours emergency provision arrangements.
• To undertake any other duties commensurate with the management grading as may be required from time to time to meet the demands of the service as assigned by the Head of Projects.

Supervision / Key Contacts / Relationships

The normal working relationship means that the post holder is directly accountable to the Head of Projects

The post holder will have regular external contact with professional representatives at senior level of Contractors, Architects, Surveyors, Engineers, Solicitors, Local Authority Technical Services staff etc.

The post holder will ensure good working relations and communications with other Estates, School and Professional Services Staff and Maintenance Team Staff essential for delivery of an integrated estate management and development service.

Skills, Qualifications and Attributes

a) Work Experience/Formal Qualifications:

The successful applicant should:-

b) Formal Qualifications

The post holder should possess relevant minimum qualifications, ie, Degree level with a relevant professional qualification in Project Management, Architecture, Engineering or Surveying and high level interpersonal, numeracy, written and computer literacy skills. You should ideally be a member of APM, RIAS, ICE, RICS, CIOB or similar and show an ongoing commitment to Continuing Professional Development. Other suitable qualifications would be considered.

In addition experience and knowledge of computerised estate management However, a basic interest in developing and working with computerised systems is required as is a working knowledge of standard office applications.

c) Skills/Abilities/Personality/Disposition:

The successful applicant will require to be self motivated, a team player able to work to a high standard under their own initiative. Be capable of contributing to and assisting in the work of a multi-disciplined team. Be adept at problem solving and possess a pleasant personality and disposition. The post involves contact with a diverse range of personnel at all levels both within and out with the University and therefore the successful applicant will require to possess excellent communication skills.

d) Other Requirements

Possession of a current clean driving licence and use of a car would be an advantage.

‘How to Apply'

Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on 26th April 2023.

Please must submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system (1) Cover letter describing your interest and suitability for the post; (2) CV

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.

Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.